Broken Swan
by CallyMay
Summary: Taken place just after the curse has been lifted. What if Emma was angry? What if she couldn't forgive Snow and Charming for just leaving her? What if she held onto that anger instead of letting go? So many people shift the blame for the pain in there lives on to others, what if Emma did just that?
1. Chapter 1

Okay so this is my first ever fan fiction, so please just say if I've done it wrong, I hope you like it! And please forgive any spelling mistakes! I'm trying!

Love!

C.M

P.S. yes i know its short, i promise if (when?) i do the next chapter to make it MUCH longer!

_Disclaimer: _Alas I do not own Once Upon A time. It is a sad fact which I mourn daily

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**Broken Swan**

Emma was angry, angrier than what she had been in a long time, angry at Gold for taking the true love potion, angry at Regina for so many reasons she didn't even know where to begin, hell she was even angry at Henry for eating the damn Turn over when he knew what it was.

But all of this anger and so much more boiled down and focused itself on two people. Mary Margaret and David Nolan; _Snow white_ and _Prince Charming_, she hadn't realized this of course till the moment she sore them in the street, a small group of people celebrating and laughing.

"Now we find our daughter." Those words, they were enough to break her heart for the millionth time, all those years of searching, countless nights awake wondering, and here they were.

"So it's true." She somehow managed to say the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them.

They turned gasping as they finally saw their daughter, who in their minds had only just been born, grown into a strong beautiful woman.

Emma looked deep into the eyes of Mary, her roommate, her best friend… her mother. She didn't have the strength to hold up the walls she had taken so long to build, instead she let them crumble as her parents finally held her. "You found us."

After all these years she had found them.

After all those years…

All those years… Her entire life seemed to flicker through her mind like the flame of a candle, foster home after foster home, angry stranger after angry stranger, being passed around like a crappy Christmas present, living all alone for all those years, moving from one place to the next never anyone to love, and all because they sent her through a wardrobe. And then a new image came to her mind, one where she hadn't been sent through, one where she had been cursed and in all honesty that picture was a lot prettier than the others.

Emma pulled away ignoring the hurt that crossed their faces. "Emma?" whispered Mary… no not Mary Margaret she was Snow White. Snow White held a confidence her friend didn't, she could see that in the way she was standing, but they had the same love, the same compassion and right now Mary's eyes held so much of the two emotions it physically hurt Emma to look at them.

"I can't… I'm sorry I just can't." Without thinking she turned around and ran, her entire life playing out over and over again like a song stuck on repeat, constantly showing her worst moments, her mistakes, the people who had hurt her, the innocence she had lost, the things she had done simply to survive again and again.

Snow clung on to Charming watching as her daughter; her all grown up daughter, did the thing she had done all her life; run.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, im glad you guys liked the first chapter, have been in a writing mood so here's the second, not sure what i think, personally i think it could be better but i wanted to upload it :)

please review as i'm interested in what you thought!

love!

C.M

**Disclaimer:** oh... you want to see my rights to once upon a time? er... funny story actually, the dog ate them...

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Emma wasn't sure how long she had been walking, her head was lost in memories she didn't really want to think about. She remembered one of her earlier foster homes, she had been so young and innocent, yet she was old enough to know that people only adopted her for the money they were paid. Even when she was a baby and had that cuteness that most couples wanted she has still been moved from place to place, they wanted her small blonde curls and her big eyes but if she so much as cried she was simply thrown right back to the starting line. She had figured out at the age of 2 that no one was going to protect her from the monsters under her bed, they didn't want to see the drawings she had created in class or read her a story at night.

So she had learned to ride a bike on her own, to cook when she was hungry taking just the right amount so no one would question why there was food missing, she had practically taught herself to read and write. Everything she was suppose to have done with her parents she had done alone. At least Henry had someone, granted it was anything but perfect but that kid had someone who in her own twisted way loved him. She had never been loved.

She had been born to the most loving people in all of _fairy tale_ land but had been denied all of it. She should have been making cookies with Mary, or playing children's games with David. An image rose to her mind that made her want to scream out in pain, It was of her child self, no older than 5 snuggled in bed, Mary on one side; softly stroking Emma's hair, David on the other reading out a story, his words gently rocking her to sleep.

The dream physically hurt her so much Emma had couldn't go on, instead she leaned against a tree mentally forcing back the tears. How dare they cause her this much pain, how dare they take away everything that made her happy, she had been a baby and they had forced this life on her. She wanted to shout out in resentment, to hurt someone for taking it all away from her. The anger seemed to swell up filling every breath she took, every thought was clouded by a tinge of red, her whole body shuddered as the emotion seemed to lay on her skin like second layer, coating her in it. She leaned away from the tree lifting her arms up till with an almighty shriek she smashed her hands into the trunk of a tree causing a massive bang to shake the air around it, forcing Emma back to the ground.

After a moment a stillness seemed to settle as the world around her returned to its natural state. Slowly she sat up her head pounding from the fall, quickly assessing herself to know nothing was seriously injured she looked up and froze her mouth falling open in pure shock. Where her hands had been was a black ring as if the tree had been burned, its wood cracked and splintered. _Did I do that? _It hardly made sense yet nothing seemed to make sense, Emma look down at her hands, to the tree and back again.

She had magic.

with out a second thought Emma ran, it was all just to impossible, to strange, too _big_ for her to deal with, it added to the hate that she was feeling, added to all the confusion, to all the pain. How could she have magic?! Magic wasn't real, not here! But she wasn't from here, she wasn't form this world, she was a stranger in the place she had grew up and that thought along with every other added to the hurt.

She was so lost in this that she didn't see the tree root that sent her tumbling down a small hill till she came to a stop on her stomach. "This is not my day" she groaned regretfully sitting up, holding her head in her hands.

"Well hello dearie." Emma jumped up her whole body on alert, as she took in the two people that stood in the clearing she had fallen into, one she didn't know; a woman with long unkempt brown hair, wearing what looked like a hospital gown, was nestled under the arm of the infamous deal maker.

Gold had never seen the sheriff so disheveled, her walls reduced to rubble, the pain so clear in her eyes, Many people had called him heartless and they were, to an extent right, but even the Dark One felt sorry for poor little Emma.

"Gold!" She spat out the name practically running, closing the distance between them, her walls rebuilding with every step she took. "Henry almost died because of you! I almost died! And I have a pretty strong hunch that you're the cause of that purple smoke, so give me one good reason why I shouldn't arrest you!" she stopped barely an inch of space left between them.

"Forgive me Sweetheart but isn't Henry alive?"

"Yes but-"

"And you're perfectly fine."

"I-"

"And aren't you reignited with those parents you've been so desperate to find?"

"Yes."

"So what exactly is your problem dearie?" He asked walking past her brushing her off as if she was nothing. Emma stumbled back trying to find some sort of answer to his question.

"You brought magic here didn't you?" she didn't want to ask, didn't want an answer, being truthful she knew that he had, he was the only one who could do it, and so he was just another name on the long list of people who hurt her.

Gold froze, taking a deep breath. "Belle, darling could you give us a moment." She seemed unsure her eyes flickering between them. "I'll be alright." He whispered kissing her forehead softly. Emma stood dumb founded at the gesture, even _Gold_ had someone who loved him.

"Please be _good_" she begged before walking away just out of ear shot but still close enough so she could occasionally look back.

"Belle?" asked Emma taking in the woman.

"Yes… _Belle_." He mimicked her shocked tone with a small shake of his head.

"As in beauty and the beast; _Belle_?!"

"I like to think I was misinterpreted in that story, but each to their own I guess."

"That makes you the beast."

"No, no, no dearie, I'm far worse than any _beast_." Emma turned not wanting to hear any more, she didn't want to know about _their_ land, or _who _people where, for now he was Gold. "I see someone's having a hard time adjusting."

"Did you or did you not bring Magic here?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I needed it."

"Why?"

"For my own reason."

"And what reason would that be?" she said stepping closer inspecting every small muscle that he moved.

"It's personal Dearie, now if you'll excuse me." He replied turning his back on her, he had no time to answer her silly questions, not when they weren't what she really wanted to ask.

"Does it work?" Rumpelstiltksin stopped, forcing down a smile, _ahh, now there's the question._ He thought as he looked at the Savior and for the first time he really sore her, a girl who had been through to many hardships in life and who had finally snapped.

"Does what work?"

"Being angry."

"We'll I certainly achieved a lot." he gestured to the forest around him. "But ultimately it would depend on who you're angry with? And how you can use them to your advantage."

"Like you used me?"

"I never used you with anger, simply as a means to an end." If he was honest he was rather fond of the sheriff, she had so much of her parents just without the whole annoying true love sappiness that they were so fond of. No, Emma was realistic, she had a moral code to rival that of Charming's but chip away at that, and you were left with nothing more than a shattered girl, who hated the world because she was never supposed to be in it. "But I'll ask again, who are you angry with?"

_Everyone_, she though, they all had some part to play in destroying her life, it was like one big joke and she was the punch line. Why should they get a happy ending when she never even had a happy beginning? "It's personal." She spat, her walls growing even higher, she didn't trust the pawn broker, she couldn't afford to.

"Well then, I suggest when it becomes my business you find me, we may be able to help each other, for old times' sake."

"I don't need your help."

"As you wish, your _highness_." He said mockingly as he bowed, enjoying Emma scowl as she stormed away. "Remember dearie, you still owe me that favor." He called after her, knowing it only added to fury in her heart.

"Who was that?" asked Belle her voice soft pulling his attention away from the bouncing curls of Emma's hair, he let his eyes flicker between the two women, the two women he had, in a way hurt the most.

"That dearie is the woman that's going to change Storybrooke."

"For better or for worse?"

"I'm not sure love, I'm not sure."


	3. Chapter 3

HELLO! oh my, thanks for the AMAZING turn out, i didn't think anyone would read this, im so glad you like it! i know i know its been a while since i uploaded really sorry life just got in the way!

anyway.., here is the next chapter of Broken Swan, THE NEXT ONE WILL BE BETTER! pinky promise!

please leave a review!

love!

C.M

xx

**Disclaimer: **still don't have any rights to Once Upon A Time or any of the characters by a girl can dream right ;) :P

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"She should be back by now" worried Snow pacing back and forth constantly turning her ring, the emerald sparkling every time it hit the light.

"She'll be fine Snow, she's a grown woman." Cooed James his heart squeezing as he sore Snow flinch at the words 'grown woman' he still couldn't believe it, in his mind he had held Emma in his arms; a small baby no more than a few minutes old, yesterday.

"It wasn't supposed to work out like this, she wasn't supposed to react so-" Charming pulled her into his arms trying so desperately to comfort her. He didn't need her words, he felt what Snow did, that lost, that unbearable regret and agony at what _they_ had done. "She just found us. I don't understand why she would run away."

"Its what she does." Sighed Charming holding back the pain that fact caused him.

"I thought… thought that maybe she'd be happy, we're together now." James was thankful that that was the moment Henry chose to run down the stairs, he couldn't bear to hear the complete confusion in Snows voice, of course Emma wasn't happy, they had placed her in an awful world, left her vulnerable when all they were supposed to do was protect her, that was there job as parents and they had failed.

"When's Emma coming back?" Snow changed almost instantly into the loving, sweet woman kneeling down in front of her grandson… _grandson_ oh the thought was enough to make James stomach turned, who had dishonored his daughter, who had left her pregnant and alone?

"She'll be home soon sweetie, how about some hot chocolate?"

"Yeah okay" Snow placed an arm round his shoulder leading him into the kitchen, willing herself to believe her words, Emma would be back soon, she would unlock that door and everything would fine, they would be the family like they were always supposed to be.

The phone rang pulling both parents from there worlds of worry. Charming was the first to reach it jumping at it as if afraid it would disappear. "EMMA?! Oh, Archie… Okay calm down… She fine… no Emma is, she's um, _out_… no I don't know when she will be back… What's going on… I'll be right there." He smashed the phone down turning back to Snow only to find her already putting on her coat.

"What's happened?" she asked as she threw him his jacket.

"Whale has assembled a mob to attack Regina." They moved instantly, Marry Margaret and David completely disappeared, they were Prince James and Snow White ready to face there somewhat dysfunctional Kingdom.

"Let me come with, I can help!" Henry's voice snapped James out of his Royal mode as he turned to face his grandson, so recklessly brave, he certainly had the Charming genes.

"Not on this one, besides Emma will need you when she gets back."

"Okay." Henry replied obviously disappointed.

"Stay in here! Don't open the door to anyone except us and Emma do you understand?" said Snow stepping out of the apartment Charming by her side.

"Yeah… Gramps?!" James popped his head round the door looking at the worried boy, his eyes wide with fear, but his head was held high, he had his mother's strength. "You can't let them hurt my mom."

"We won't Henry. I promise." Replied Charming hoping that his grandson wouldn't be able to hear the lie in his voice.

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Somehow Emma found herself at the well, "typical" she scoffed, only she could get lost and find herself at the place where lost things are found.

What was she going to do? She couldn't go home, if it even was her home anymore. She could always sleep in her car? She'd done it before, or perhaps rent a room at Grannys, ahh but that would involve talking to _fairy-tale character_.

She groaned from the sheer madness of it all. How had she ended up here, in this situation? So far away from anything that made sense?!

Emma knew the answer it wasn't how, it was who, _who_ had placed her in this situation, _who_ had caused it, and '_who' _was more than one person.

Regina had casted the damn curse, Augusts had left her, Gold did nothing by use her and perhaps worse of all her own parents had simply thrown her away as if she was an old toy they were tired of playing with.

Regina, August, Gold, Marry, David. Regina, August, Gold, Marry, David. Regina, August, Gold, Marry, David.

The list went on over and over in her mind, these were the people that had abandoned her that had caused her the pain, Emma could fell the tears, each name causing a fresh wave of them but she couldn't stop them repeating couldn't stop thinking about what they had done.

As if the world around her suddenly sprang into existence a bird's soft song floated through the air. Emma looked at the bird, loathing it silently as if it was everyone her list. Taking a deep breath she lifting her hand letting the emotions run threw her, anger, pain and sorrow, they seemed to run along her vein's becoming more than just emotions taking an actual form. There was a crash almost like thunder that shattered the sounds of the forest, Emma opened her eyes quickly and there where the bird had once sat was a black scorch mark, singed feathers fell from the branch.

There was no denying it, she had done that.

As she gazed at this sight Emma could feel the smile form on her lips.

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They had made it just in time, how, they weren't quite sure, any later and she would have been dead. Whale's words still echoed through James head… who was he? No matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember ever meeting him, this caused instant distrust, every instinct tell him to that Whale was bad news.

A bit more forceful than was needed he shoved the evil queen into the cell locking the door behind her. James wouldn't admit how much he hated seeing Regina behind bars, he wanted to hurt her for taking away his baby girl, for causing all the pain she had, but he wasn't evil, he was on the side of the good and in so he had responsibilities, like staying honest to his grandson… grandson, he was a grandfather… his heart still ached slightly at the thought… oh Emma, oh my little baby girl.

"So I'm a prisoner now?"

"The curse is broken so why didn't we go back?" he had no time to play her games.

"Because there's nothing to go back to, that land is gone." No, it was a lie, some sort of trick, there home was still there it had to be.

"We should find Emma." Whispered Snow wanting nothing more to be away from her step mother, the pain of losing her home land was too much to think about. Small steps after all, first they would find her daughter and then they would worry about home.

Charming paused for a second, if there land was gone then they were trapped, he would never be able to take his daughter home, he could understand why Emma ran away, some problems are far too daunting to tackle.

Snows soft hand on his shoulder pulled him from the thought, he looked into her loving eyes and knew that as long as they were together everything would be alright. Things always were.

They walked out like that, hands clasped tightly each trying to reassure the other that they were there, banishing thoughts of their possibly destroyed home and instead focusing on their daughter, they had 28 years to make up after all.

Regina watched them go, mentally wishing they would move faster. As soon as she heard the door close she ran to the lock, her magic hadn't worked earlier, she would have died if it was for the damn Charming family, they certainly had a knack for timing another minuet and she would have been evil queen soufflé. Taking a deep breath she centered herself focusing on the lock, Rumpelstiltksin's lessons ran threw her mind as she focused completely on her emotions and the lock.

Nothing! By all the gods this was frustrating, taking another breath she tried again… a tortured silence sat in the police station… nothing! Damn, blast and damn again! She readied herself once more sensing the power around her… 3… 2…

The lights flickered, every sense Regina had jumped into action, the lock now forgotten as her eyes searched the station "Who's there?" and then it hit her; the wave, she was forced back, smashing into the cells wall, gasping for air she fell to the ground mentally forcing herself to rise above the sea of hate, all the while knowing she was only going to be pulled down.

Emma was magic, magic at its purest form and this got Regina thinking; small thoughts between the constant waves; magic wasn't unpredictable, no magic was innocent in all of this. Emma was unpredictable, if magic came at a price then Emma's soul could afford all the magic in this world and the next.

Or at least this was the hypothesis she would have reached if she hadn't been so preoccupied in focusing on staying alive. The hate was practically choking her and her vision was fading in and out of focus, paper flew all around as desks were knocked over and filing cabinets spilt there insides as they too toppled to floor.

The last thing Regina sore was the mocking face of the fallen Savior.


	4. Chapter 4

HELLO! Oh my I've been away for a long time! Sorry about that! I've had a bit of writers block, however while on holiday I started work on the next 2 chapters! So here's the first and you will be receiving the second shortly (sometime this week or next)

I think i may have lost a bit of the characters, ive been away with no internet so i haven't been able to watch the show and get there voices, so sorry for that!

Thanks to EVERYONE who has reviewed, favourite and followed, you have no idea how much it means to me J I hope you like what I have in store for our dear fallen saviour.

If you want anything to happen or have an idea I would love to hear it, I'm always looking to improve and collaborate!

Please continue to review!

Love you all!

C.M

XX

DISCLAIMER: sadly I do not own any rights to Once upon a time.

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Henry wasn't an idiot, despite most of the adults thinking he was, honestly he was never sure if he was thankful for it annoyed, on one hand they thought he was an idiot and never let him do any of the cool stuff he should be doing like sword fighting and horse riding, on the other hand they thought he was an idiot and never realized just how much he knew which meant he got away with a lot more than your average 11-year-old.

Not for the first time, both ended up coming in handy on this occasion as he watched his grandparents leave in a hurry. He knew his granddad had been lying, he had no attention of saving Regina but he also knew his granddad which meant that most likely he would change his mind and probably throw her in jail, which meant that THAT would be where everyone would be. He knew his mom, his_ real_ mom would want answers, and from the look on her face when she sore Snow and Charming she didn't want them from her parents.

It was sad really that his mom would go to some she hated because she couldn't deal with love, she couldn't trust, she had grown up alone and she couldn't realize that she didn't have to be alone anymore. And it was up to him to prove it, he had gotten her believing, so it made sense that he would get her to love. Maybe find someone to settle down with, Archie had always been really nice to him, although saying that Emma would most likely eat him alive.

While he thought this the small boy ran around the apartment gathering everything he thought he might need, shoving them all into his backpack before dashing out of the front door.

The sun was just setting on a rather bizarre day, this morning Henry had almost died and now he was running around the streets trying to find his mom, he had made Emma believed, made her save everyone, put himself in mortal danger he was unstoppable, he was the bravest prince, he was...

"HENRY"

...BUSTED! He froze the familiar voice echoing down the street. He'd been seen and not by someone he wanted to be seen by, he couldn't run or hide. His mind ran through a million and one excuses as he turned around and faced Rumpelstiltskin.

"Now where are you off to at this time my dear boy."

"Granny's! Gran and pops went to sort out some problem at my moms, so I thought I'd get tea." He lied smoothly.

"If memory serves me right, granny's is that way." He pointed in the opposite direction.

"Oh... Err..." Henry laughed nervously "I was..."

"And by an extraordinary coincidence" said gold as if Henry hadn't said a word "I was heading there myself."

"Well... Great." He fell into step with the pawn broker, his cane tapping on the pavement. "Do you still need that? You know, now you're Rumpelstiltskin again?"

"Old habits die hard and besides I find it suits my image."

"You mean it makes you look weak when you're not." Gold paused and looked at the boy before tilting his head back and laughing.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Gold could not hate the boy, he was innocent a true believer, he was made for their home world.

"Henry, the world we knew, the one you grew up in, it has just changed drastically, the rules that once applied, well, there how would you say… no longer in action. Do you understand what I mean?"

"No, not really." Gold sighed, of course he didn't, he was a boy, a boy who had his family's morals running threw his veins.

"Your mother Henry, your real mother, I feel she is unstable, slipping from the path that she should take to the one which is all too desirable."

"What do you care, I mean you try to kill her a few times."

"Not kill, simply injure or gravely harm, and your mother is a very stubborn woman she needs a good inventive. I've invested a lot into your mom's future."

"I know, I read the book."

"Ahh, yes, the fairy-tale book, did it help?"

"Helped me figure out who you were, what you've done." Gold paused at that and looked down at the boy.

"I'm not always proud of my past, a lot of things I did because I had to, I only made one mistake, and I've worked to fix that ever since."

"What mistake?"

"Another story another time. No where were we?"

"You were complaining about Emma."

"I was, your mother is a strong woman, but she has made her mistakes, I almost screamed in annoyance when she partnered with Sydney!"

Henry froze realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. '_Almost_' he said _almost_, 'not would have' "How long have you been awake?"

"There was a reason I asked for the child's name." Gold said not missing a heartbeat, he had wondered how long it would take for the boy to realise.

"WHAT?! You could have helped me! You could have-"

"I did all that I could, gave Emma and even yourself a nudge in the right direction."

ou almost got Mary Margaret thrown into jail and my real mom fired, you all most killed both my mom's in the fire you started, you-"

"Yes yes yes, I'm not saying my meddling was always safe, but I got results, not even a Charming could argue that."

"It's a backwards way to help, almost killing the person you were trying to save."

"There are a lot of things in this world that are backwards dearie, I can assure you I am not one of them."

"Then what are you?" The pawn broker considered that question, it was a question only a child, in all his innocence could ask, by any other and it would have been an insult but from Henry? Well it was a genuine concern. But the answer? There were so many things he say; a monster, an imp, a coward, a deal maker...

"A desperate man, looking for something very far away." Henry looked up and realised that it was true. He also realised that Gold was hiding something, something important. "We're more alike than you'd think Henry."

"I would never use people the way you do."

"Maybe not now, but a time will come, it always does."

"What do you want Mr Gold?"

"Emma is lost, she needs guidance, she won't listen to any of us, but you may be able to help her, at least, help in a way none of us can."

"There's nothing wrong with my mom." But even as he said it he knew it wasn't true, he remembered Emma's face as she turned away from Snow and Charming, remembered the hurt. His mom was lost. His heart hurt just think about it. It wasn't fair, none of this was fair.

"Henry, I wouldn't ask this of you if there was any other way, but there isn't, so I have to, if Emma, if your mom starts to act funny, if she shows signs of magic and dark Magic at that, you have to come to me, not Snow, not Charming, not Red or anyone else, _me_. Do you understand?"

"Emma would never use dark Magic, she's good! She's one of the good guys!"

"There was a time when even Snow White turned evil."

"That was because you took away her love!"

"A broken heart will do many things to someone and your mom's heart is beyond broken, Henry-" he grabbed the boy's shoulder, his grip so strong it was an honest surprise to Henry, who tried to break free, fear surging threw him. "Henry! If Emma becomes evil, everything will change, the story will be rewritten, lives will be lost, lives of people you care about."

"Why are you telling me this? What's it to you?"

"Let's just say I'm invested in the future of the Charming family" with that he let go of the boy who took off running as fast as he could.

"Remember Henry! I'll be waiting, she can't stay good! She's too broken to stay good!" His words followed Henry down the street, over and over again, he didn't trust Gold, not for a moment but he finally understood what needed to be done.

Operation python was forming in his mind.

* * *

Emma watched as Regina struggled to breathe, all of the horrible, hateful things she had done seemed to infuse itself with the hate that was currently wrapped round her throat, and behind it all, was the spark of enjoyment, lying in wait.

Emma laughed as she watched the major struggle, how many times had she dreamed of doing this, of seeing the light leave her eyes and now she was actually acting upon it, taking revenge, taking control, she would find them all, every single one and she would kill them, make them suffer in the hate she felt for them, she would take-

"MOM STOP!" Henry's voice shattered threw her, she fell backwards the major gasping for air. Emma looked up and for the smallest of seconds wanted to punish the boy how dare he interrupt her, the flicker of her zapping him with lightning flashed across her mind.

"Oh god." Gasped Emma, what was that? She would never hurt Henry, but in the moment, she shuddered from the thought.

"Mom?"

"I'm fine Henry." Replied Regina kneeling on all fours holding her neck.

Another wave of hate filled Emma, he was her son. How dare she, how dare she think after all she had done she still had a right to him, how dare she think she has any reason to be in his life how dare she-

"EMMA!" Charming a voice broke through the hate as Emma's fell from her trance, she stood, a shining blue fire-ball in hand, over the mayor, Mary held Henry close while David reached out, praying for his daughter to step forward and take his hand.

"I... I..." She hadn't meant to create the fire-ball. Confusion flooded her, she was going to kill Regina... KILL, that wasn't her, she protect life, she didn't kill and yet, of the mental image was far too sweet for her to let go of.

Charming's heart hurt as he watched Emma's confused, she had magic, and that worried him, nothing good ever came of magic.

"It's okay, come on Emma, let's get you home." Home? Where was that? Back with them? Her so called parents. His hand was still outstretched, expecting, with a shaky step she took it. She took is hand for many reasons, she took it because, no matter how badly she wanted to kill Regina she couldn't kill her in front of her son, she took it because this wasn't her, she wasn't a killer, took it because her emotion were raging a war inside her and she took it because a small part of her wanted to break it, to crush his arm till it was nothing more than powder.

Charming felt his daughter's war, sore it in her eyes as he led her slowly and carefully away from Regina. Snow quickly re-locked the cell door.

"That's it you're just going to let her go? She just tried to kill me!" Howled Regina.

"She with the Sheriff I think it will be fine!" Said Snow so sarcastically it only reminded Emma of how long gone her friend was. Mary was never coming back. And then a dark voice whispered somewhere inside her mind, _'Mary was never real to start with'_ everyone she knew here was gone, disappeared back into the nothing that they had come from. Emma felt empty, exhausted from the magic, emotionally battered.

Numbly she let Charming lead her out of the station, Snow flanking there right her arm protectively round Henry who looked up at his mother and vowed that he would save her.


End file.
